Rail-joint.



i ris. Hummus. numom'r, AP PLIOA'HOI FILED AIL 16, I'll.

1,049,722, 4 Patented Jan. 7, 1913. "7

u 1 PS0 UNITED STATEB1ETENT OFFICE.

PHILLIP 8. JENNINGS, OI AL'1OONA, ALABAMA, .ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TO JOHN J. AMANN, OF GADSDEN, ALABAMA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Patented Jan. 7, 15113;.

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, Pmnur S. Jnxxnsos, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Etowah and State of Alabama. have invented certain new and useful improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rail joints and has for its object to provide a 'oint of comlete and durable structure w ich will efcctually hold the ends of rails in proper alinement with relationto each other whereb there will be no sagging at the ends of tlio rails.

, With the above and other objects in view.

the 'oint comprises a chair which is slotted longitudinall to receive the end portions of abutting rai sections. This chair fits snugly about the base flanges andwebs of the rail section, and when in ltlonflifl snugly under the heads of the all section.

The chair is provided upon its interior with longitudinally disposed rocesses which snugly receive ribs provided at the sides of the webs of the rail section; also the end portions of the rail sect1ons are rovided with transversely disposed pins w ich are connected together by links. These links are ada ted to enter the recesses in the chair. The connections between the pins and links is such that the rail sections may be elongated and contracted during the changes in temperature of the atmosphere, and, therefore, the said rail sections ma have longitudinal movement without ten inlg to displace the rails from the ties to w iich they are applied.

For a full'understanding of the invention,

- the same out. on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawin by the same reference characters.

As i1 ustratedin the accompanpin: drawing, the rail sections 1 are prov do at the "sections so that the sides of their webs and in the vicinity of their ends with outstanding ribs 2. The upper and lower sides of the ribs 2 converge toward each other from the outer faces of the ribs to the sides of the webs. Pins 3 pass transversely throu h the webs of the rail sections 1 and are coated beyond the ends of the ribs 2. These pinsare forced, or otherwise secured. in the webs ofthe rail cannot rotate. They have sli htly reduce ends 4 upon which are mounts links 5. These links 5 bridge the space between the ends of the rail sections 1, and each link is provided at one end with an approximatel round opening 6 which receives one of te pins 3, and at its other end with a'slightly elongated opening 7 which receives the other pin 3. These elongated o enings 7 permit the rail sections 1 to ave slight longitudinal movement with relation to each other thereby to compensate for contraction or expansion of the rail section. When the links 5 are engaged with the pins 8 they lie a proximately in alinement with the ribs The joint also includes a chair 8. This chair is adapted to be secured directly to the ties by spikes or other suitable securing devices, and is provided at its edges with notches 9 for thekreception of the head portion of the said s 1 es.

The chair 8 is provided with a longitudinally disposed recess 10 which snugly receives the base flanges and the webs of the end portions of the rail sections 1. These recesses are rovided in their sides with grooves 11 w ich snugly receive the ribs 2. hese grooves also recei e the links 5. The upper ed e portions of the chair fit snugly against tic under sides of the heads of the rail sections 1.

Toasscmblo the parts, one of the rail sec tions 1 is put approximately in its position upon the ties, an then the chair is sli ped over the ribs 2 thereof until the end oi the said chair is aiproximately flush or even with the end 0 the said rail sect-ion. The next adjacent rail section 1 is then placed approximately in niincmcnt with the firstmentioned rail section, and the links 5 are placed in position upon the pins 2 of the said alincd rail sections, then the chair 8 is slipped backup that it receives the links 5 and all of the ribs 2 upon the adjacent rail ner, but the preferred mo e of attaching them is that shown in Fig.2 of the drawin in which rivets 12 are passed transverse y through the ribs and the webs of the rails and are flattened at their ends and counter sunk in the ribs with their ends flush with the outer faces of the ribs. The rivets so disposed do not interfere with the freemovement of the ribs in the grooves 11 when the chair 8 is positioned upon the rails or removed from the same. v

Having described the invention, what is 25. claimed is.

l. The combination of alined rail sections, a rail joint comprising ribs connected at the sides of the webs of the rail sections, links loosely connecting the ends of the rail seeso tions together and lying up roximately in alinement with said ribs, 0. c air recessed to snugly receive the base flan es and webs of the rail sections and provi ed in the sides of its recess with grooves which snugly receive the webs and the links.

2. In combination with rail sections a rail joint comprising ribs located at the sides of the webs of the rail sections, pins passing through the webs of the rail sections, links loosely enga ing said pins, a chair recessed and adapte .to fit snugly over the base flanges and against the webs of the rail sections, said chair having in the sides of its recess grooves which snugly receive the ribsand the links.

3. In combinatuin w th rail sections a rail joint comprising ribs located at the sides of the rail sections, the upper and lower edges convergin toward each other from the outer faces of t e ribs toward the sides, of the webs, links loosely connecting the ends of the rail sections together approximately in alinement with the ribs, a chair recessed longitudinally and fittin snugly about the base flanges and the we s of the rail sections, said chair having in the sides of its recess grooves which snugly receive the inclined surfaces of the ribs, said grooves also receiving the said links. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two wltnesses.

PHILLIP s. JENNINGS. 1.8.

Witnesses:

Ben LUaELsKY, H. M. CORNELIUS.

cm of am jmm may be obtained an he cents each. by addrenta: the commissioner of Patents, wnhiarton, D. O." Y 

